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Library of Sermons

1. Armageddon 2. Can a Saved Man Choose to Be Lost? 3. Does God’s Grace Blot Out the Law? 4. Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears 5. How Evolution Flunked the Science Test 6. Is It Easier to Be Saved or to Be Lost? 7. Man’s Flicker or God’s Flame 8. Satan in Chains 9. Satan’s Confusing Counterfeits 10. Spirits From Other Worlds 11. Thieves in the Church 12. Why God Said Remember 13. Why the Old Covenant Failed 14. The High Cost of the Cross 15. Hell-Fire 16. Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning? 17. Blood Behind the Veil 18. Spirits of the Dead 19. The Brook Dried Up For more great resources, visit us at

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1.AFabricatedLook-alike?. . . . . . 2 2.OriginalSin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3.InfantBaptism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4.FallenorUnfallenNature?. . . 8 5.WhyHumanNature? . . . . . . . . . 11 6.JesusHadHereditary Weaknesses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 7.ChristOvercamein OurOwnNature. . . . . . . . . 18 8.ParticipatinginChrist’s Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 9.TwoExtremes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2410.LivingWithoutSin . . . . . . . . . . 27

Christ’sHumanNature

By Joe Crews

Christ’sHumanNature2

ONE A Fabricated Look-alike?

Themostdangerouscounterfeitistheone that most nearly resembles the

true.Thisiswhyreligiouscounterfeitsareso deadly and are often tolerated ratherthan identified and exposed. Christiansingeneralareafraidthattheywillbemis-understoodiftheyattacksomethingthatlookssomuchlikethefinestthinginre-ligion.Sincethereisoftenonlyathinlineseparating the best from the worst, theyfearbeingchargedwithattackingthegen-uineiftheyopposethecounterfeit.

HasSatanfabricatedsomelook-alikeperversionsofthemostsacreddoctrinesin Christianity? Indeed he has, and thedelicate distinctions have made eventheologiansandscholarsveryreticenttoopposethemopenly.

Many sincere Christians argue thatthe parallel views are so close togetherthatnoissueshouldbemadeoverthem.Othersbelievethatthedifferenceislargely

Christ’sHumanNature 3

semantic and involves only shades ofmeaningintheuseofthewords.

Isitpossiblethatourmightypsycho-logicaladversaryhasactuallyanticipatedthese predictable human reactions andhas skillfully created subtle deviationsfrom the truth that will seldom be rec-ognized and resisted? Indeed I believehewouldbefoolishnottoexploithissixthousandyears’expertiseinthemindsci-ences. This is why the path of error liesever so close to the path of undeniabletruth. Satan has gambled that the aver-age Christian will be reluctant to take astandagainstsomethingsoclosetotruth,especiallyifthattruthhappenstoinvolvetheworkofthecross,orthespotlesslifeoftheSonofGod.Whowantstoappearto be in opposition to these holy reali-ties?Itseemsmuchsafersimplytotoler-ate thedeviantposition than to riskbe-ingmisunderstoodinattackingthenear-perfectcounterfeit.

IamconvincedthatSatanhascleverlyproduced and popularized a disguised


errorthathasledtoanetworkofrelatederrors.Andtheyallcirculatearoundthemost sacred subject dear to the heart ofacommittedChristian—righteousnessbyfaith,theincarnationofJesus,andvictoryoversin.

There can be no doubt that this se-riesoferroneousviewsarerelatedtoeachother by a convincing chain of humanlogicandreasoning.Ifonepoint istrue,then all the other points must necessar-ilybetruealso.Butifonepointisiner-ror,theotherpointslosetheircredibilityaswell.

TWO Original Sin

Itisverylikelythatthechainwasstart-edbytheinterjectionintoearlychurch

theology of the doctrine of original sin.Beginningwiththevalidbiblicalpositionof man’s inherent carnal nature, whichpredisposes him to sin, the idea gradu-ally evolved that Adam’s guilt was alsoimputed to his descendants. Augustine


was responsible more than any otherfor propagating this view of transmittedguilt. Through Luther and the reform-ers it found its way into many of theProtestantchurches.

Although the doctrine created a tre-mendouscontroversyintheearlychurch,most modern Christians seem to acceptthe majority view today without muchdeep thought or question. It is easy tosee there is only a marginal differencebetween the two views, both then andnow.Adam’sweakened,sinfulnaturewaspassedontohischildrenthroughthelawsofheredity,makingitimpossibleforthemnottosinaslongastheyremainedinanunconvertedstate.SincetheirsinwastheresultofAdam’ssin,itwaseasyforthemtoslipintotheerrorofbelievingthattheysharedhisguilt.

But there is a very important differ-ence between the inclination to sin andtheguiltofsin,anditisthatsmalldegreeofdifferencethathastriggeredaseriesofother doctrinal errors. Said the prophet,


“Thesonshallnotbeartheiniquityofthefather,neithershallthefatherbearthein-iquityoftheson”(Ezekiel18:20).

THREE Infant Baptism

Asalogicaloutgrowthofbelievinginoriginalsin,theCatholicChurchde-

velopeda strongdoctrineof infantbap-tism. Only by their sacrament of sprin-kling could the curse of Adam’s guilt beremovedfromthebaby.Sincethechild’ssalvationhingeduponaproperbaptism,absoluteprioritywasassignedtothatrit-ual. Ifachoicehad tobemadebetweenthe lifeof themotherandthe lifeof theunbornbaby, themotherwas sacrificed.Catholic doctors and nurses were in-structed in the art of baptizing a fetusin thewombif therewassomequestionaboutalivebirth.

Theoriginalsindoctrinealsogaverisetothedogmaoftheimmaculateconcep-tionofMary.Ifeverybabywasbornwithguilt on its soul, then something would


have to be done to preserve Jesus fromthatguilt—elseHecouldnotbeaperfectsacrifice for sin. The Catholic solutionassigned Mary a miraculous conceptionalso,whichpreservedherfromtheeffectoforiginalsin.ThusJesuswouldbebornofahumanmotherwithoutpartakingofthesupposedguiltofAdam.

As an extended consequence oftheir view of Jesus as altogether differ-ent fromman, theCatholicChurchalsointroducedtheillegitimatesystemofhu-man priesthood. If the Son of God didnot dwell in man’s fallen nature, thenthe ladder had not been let down fromheaven to earth. The gulf still had notbeen bridged between a holy God andfallenhumanity.Therefore,somefurthermeans should be provided to completetheconnection.

First,itwasassignedtopriestsonearththatareknowntohavesinfulflesh.Then,amediatorial rolewasclaimed for thosewho had dwelled in sinful flesh but hadbeencanonizedbythechurchassaintsin


heaven.Finally,angelsandthemotherofJesus were accorded intercessory statusbetweenmanandGod.

Alreadywecanbegintoseethechainreaction consequences of a small devia-tionfromthetruedoctrine.

FOUR Fallen or Unfallen Nature?

NowletuslookattheeffectoforiginalsinonthechurchesofProtestantism.

HowcouldtheyavoidthedilemmaoftheirbeliefasitrelatedtothenatureofChrist?AlthoughtheyrejectedtheCatholictradi-tionoftheImmaculateConception,theyinventedadoctrinethatwasequallyun-scripturalandwhichremovedChristto-tallyfromthefallenfamilyofAdam.Thisview declared that Jesus was incarnatedin a special manner that preserved Himfrom partaking of the nature of Adam’sdescendants. Instead, He was born withthe unfallen nature of Adam and livedHis holy life in the uncorrupted state ofsinlesshumanity.


Again, we are struck by the marvel-ous duplicity of the counterfeit. He didcome in human nature, they say, but ithadtobeinAdam’sunfallennatureinor-dertoprotectHimfromthepollutionoforiginalsin.

Isthisaseriousdigressionfromtruth?Does itmakeanydifferencewhetherwebelieve He possessed pre-sin human-ity or post-sin humanity? Many sin-cereChristiansbelievethatitisaminor,mootpointthatcarriesnosignificanceinpracticalapplication.

The truth is that this small devia-tion has laid the groundwork for a se-riesofotherfalseconclusionsthatstrikeat some of the most cherished truths ofProtestantism.

In the first place, such a doctrine isdiametricallyopposedtotheclearteach-ingoftheBible.Atleastsixtimesweareassured that Jesus had a human natureexactly like ours. In Hebrews 2:11 weread, “For both he that sanctifieth andthey who are sanctified are all of one:


forwhichcauseheisnotashamedtocallthembrethren.”Brothersareofonefleshandfamilynature.Christistheonewhosanctifies, and we are being sanctified;andweareallofonefleshsothatHecancallusHisbrothers.Thisestablishes thepointbeyondanyquestion.

“Forverilyhetooknotonhimthena-tureofangels;buthetookonhimtheseedofAbraham”(Hebrews2:16).HowcouldHepartakeofAbraham’sseedifHetookonHimthenatureofunfallenAdam?TheemphasishereisthatHedidnottakeonsomeexotic,sinlessnaturesuchasangelsor holy Adam might have had but thesamenaturethatAbraham’schildrenpos-sessed. They had sin-weakened bodiesandminds.SodidHe.Thisdoesnotin-volveguilt.Tobesubjecttosinisnottobeguiltyof it.Hewastempted inthesamewayweare,yetHeneveronceyieldedtoor entertained sin. He never developedanypropensitiestowardsinbygivingwayto it. He remained undefiled by sin andwasalwaystotallypureandholy.


“Wherefore in all things it behovedhim to be made like unto his brethren,that he might be a merciful and faithfulhighpriest in thingspertaining toGod”(Hebrews2:17).

FIVE Why Human Nature?

WhywasHeborn in thesamefleshand nature we have? So that He

couldbeunderstandingofourweakness-es and inclinations toward sin, and be amercifulhighpriestforus.Dothewords“inallthings”reallymean“inallthings”?Ofcourse.

PauldeclaredthatJesus“wasmadeoftheseedofDavidaccordingtotheflesh”(Romans1:3).Itwouldbecontrarytorea-son for these words to be interpreted tomeanthatChristinheritedaholy,unfall-en nature from Mary. Whatever David’sseedwaslikeaftertheflesh,ourLordpar-tookofthesame.Allofthosedescendantsof David, except one, yielded to theirhereditary inclinations and committed


personalsins.Jesus,likeallothers,inher-ited the nature of David after the flesh,butHedidnotyieldtotheinherentweak-nesses of that nature. Although temptedin all points like we are, He did not re-spond by a single degree of indulgencetoanyof those temptations.His lifewasaconstant fortressof invincible spiritualpoweragainstthetempter.

By relying wholly upon His Father’sever-present strength, He demonstratedthevictorythatispossibleforallofDavid’sseedafterthefleshtoexperience.

Again, we read, “Forasmuch then asthe children are partakers of flesh andblood,healsohimselflikewisetookpartofthesame”(Hebrews2:14).Noticehowtheinspiredwriteremphasizedthesame-nessofthebodyofChristwithman.HE—ALSO—HIMSELF—LIKEWISE. Thesefour words are used consecutively eventhoughtheyarerepetitiveandredundant.Why?InordertoimpressusthatJesusre-ally did enter into the same nature manpossessed. Just like children partake of


thesamefleshandblood,healsohimselflikewisetookthesame!Howcanthisun-ambiguouslanguageconfuseanyone?

SIX Jesus Had Hereditary Weaknesses

Incidentally, these inspiredwordsdefi-nitely tell us that Christ took part of

thesamenatureasthechildrenwho“arepartakers of flesh and blood.” Doesn’tthis tell us without question the kind ofnatureChristpossessed?DidAdamhaveanychildrenbornbeforehesinned?Notaone!Thefactisthatallthechildrenwhohaveeverbeenbornintheworldhavein-herited the same fallen nature of Adam,because they were all born after Adamsinned. The book of Hebrews declaresthat Jesus “himself likewise took part ofthesame.”Thesamewhat?Thesamefleshandbloodaschildren inherit fromtheirparents. What kind of flesh do childreninherit from their parents? Only sinfulflesh.Hasanyotherkindof fleshexceptsinful flesheverbeenknownamongthe


descendants of Adam? None whatso-ever. If Jesus partook of the same fleshand blood as the children, it had to besinfulfleshandblood.Thereisnootherconclusiontobedrawn.Yet,HeHimselfwassinless!

One writer, recognizing this clearBibleposition,describeditverysuccinct-lyinthesewords:

“ItwouldhavebeenanalmostinfinitehumiliationfortheSonofGodtotakeman’snature,evenwhenAdamstoodin his innocence in Eden. But Jesusaccepted humanity when the racehadbeenweakenedbyfourthousandyearsofsin.LikeeverychildofAdamHeacceptedtheresultsofthework-ingofthegreatlawofheredity.Whatthese results were is shown in thehistory of His earthly ancestors. Hecame with such a heredity to shareoursorrowsandtemptations,andtogiveustheexampleofasinless life”(The Desire of Ages,p.48).


ThisstatementdescribedtheworkingofhereditarylawsandisinperfectsupportofPaul’sdeclarationthatJesuspartookofthesamefleshandbloodaschildrenre-ceivefromtheirparents.Thatisreferringtoheredityalso.IfChristhadbeenbornwithAdam’sunfallennature,theverysug-gestionofhereditary influencewouldberidiculousintheextreme.Therecouldbenoplaceforanykindofinheritedtenden-ciesinaholyAdamicnaturethathadnev-er known either birth or ancestry. If Hehadnoinheritedweaknesses,whywouldthewriterofHebrewssaythatHepartookofthesamefleshandbloodthatchildrenreceivefromparents?CertainitisthattheCreator did not incorporate any inher-entweaknessesintotheoriginalcreation.Adamhadnobattlestofightagainsthe-reditarytendencies.Hehadthepowerinhimselftochoosealwaysnottosin.

DidJesusasamanclaimtohavethatkindofpower?No.Hesaid,“Idonothingof myself; but as my Father hath taughtme, I speak these things” (John 8:28).


Repeatedly,Christspokeofbeingdepen-dentonHisFatherforwhatHesaidandwhatHedid.

Does this mean that He possessednodeityandomnipotenceas theSonofGod?Onthecontrary,Hewastrulyandwholly divine, just as He was truly andwhollyman.Butthosetwonaturesappar-ently were not amalgamated into somehybridpersonalitythatstoodapartfromeitherGodorman.HewasfullyGodandHe was fully man. He could draw uponeitherofthesedistinctnatureswhileliv-inghereintheflesh.Butthereallyimpor-tantthingforustorememberisthatHedidnotexerciseHisdivinepowertosaveHimself fromtheweaknessesandtemp-tationsinheritedfromHishumanances-try.HechosetoliveHislifehereasamaninthesamewaywehavetoliveit.TosaveHimselffromsinandtheperilsoftheflesh,HedependedconstantlyandsolelyuponthepowerofHisFather.ItwasinthiswaythatHeovercamethedevil,closedeveryavenue of temptation, and lived a life of


perfect obedience. By never yielding totheinherentappealoftheflesh,Hesetanexample of the kind of victory that maycometoeverychildofAdamthroughde-pendenceontheFather.

SatantemptedJesusinthewildernesstouseHisdivinepowertosatisfyHisago-nizinghunger.SatanknewthatJesushadthepowerofdeity towork thatmiracle.HishopewasthathecouldprovokeChristtodrawuponHisdivinityforrelief.WhywouldthathavebeensuchatriumphforSatan?Hecouldhaveusedthattosustainhis charges thatGodrequiredanobedi-encethatnomaninthefleshcouldpro-duce.IfJesushadfailedtoovercomethetempterinthesamenaturewehave,andby the same means available to us, thedevilwouldhaveproventhatobedienceisindeedanimpossiblerequirement.SatanunderstoodverywellthatJesuscouldnotuseHisdivinepowertosaveHimselfandtosavemanatthesametime.ThisiswhatmadethetestsuchasevereandagonizingexperienceforChrist.


If Jesus actually inherited the com-promised nature of Adam, then whydidn’t He sin like the rest of Adam’s de-scendants? Because He was filled withtheHolySpiritfromthewombandpos-sessedafullysurrenderedwillandsanc-tified human nature. May we partake ofthat same power to keep us from sin-ning?Yes. Jesus, in livingHis lifeofvic-tory over sin, did not utilize His divin-ity but confined Himself to the samepoweravailabletousthroughconversionandsanctification.

SEVEN Christ Overcame in Our Own Nature

HadHenotwonthevictoryoverSatanin the same nature we have, what

encouragementcouldwedrawfromHisvictory?IdidnotneedtobeshownthatitwaspossibleforAdamnottoyieldtosin.Ialreadyknewthat.WhatIneedtoknowisthatIcanovercomesin,mynaturebeingwhatitis.


Satan charged God with requir-ing something that couldn’t be done.The reason fallen man could not pro-duce obedience is clearly described inRomans 8:3, 4: “For what the law couldnot do, in that it was weak through theflesh, God sending his own Son in thelikenessof sinful flesh,and forsin,con-demned sin in the flesh: That the righ-teousnessofthelawmightbefulfilledinus,whowalknotaftertheflesh,butaftertheSpirit.”

Theseverses are simplifiedwhenweaska fewquestions.Whatcouldthe lawnotdoforusbecauseweweretooweakinthefleshtokeepit?Itcouldnotsaveus.

Because we could not keep it due totheweaknessof the flesh,whatdidGoddo?HesentJesustoobeythelawperfect-lyintheflesh.Hecondemnedsininthefleshbytotalvictoryoverit.

WhatdidHisvictoryinthefleshmakepossible for us? “That the righteousness(just requirement) of the law might befulfilledinus.”Itenabledustoobey.


HowdidHisvictoryinthefleshmakeitpossibleforustoobey?Bythemiracleof conversion, which changes our walkfromthe fleshto theSpirit.ThenChristinus,throughtheSpirit,impartsvictoryoversintoourlives.

Theseobvioustruthspointuponeofthegreatproblemsinholdingtothepre-fallhumannatureofChrist.IfHisvictoryoverSatan, intheflesh,wasforthepur-poseofenablingmetofulfilltherequire-mentsof the law,howcouldHisvictoryhelpmeatall if itwasobtainedinsomeotherfleshthanmine?Hereiswherethisfalsedoctrinestrikesatthebeautifulprin-cipleofrighteousnessbyfaith.

Righteousness by faith is the imput-ing and imparting of the results of Hissinlesslifeandatoningdeath.Itincludesboth justification and sanctification. Heimputes,orcredits,tousthemeritsofHissinlessexperiencetodeliverus fromthepenaltyofsin.Thisisjustification.Tode-liver us from the power of sin, He doesnotmerelyreckonusasrighteous,butHe


actuallyimpartsthestrengthtoovercomesin. In either case, He can only bestowupon us what He attained through HisownincarnateexperienceastheSavioroftheworld.

Somemightclaimthatsincejustifica-tiononlyinvolvesanimputingofChrist’ssinlessrecordtoouraccount,itcouldbedoneinanykindofbody.Butisthattrue?Thepurposeoftheincarnationwastore-deemfallenmanandnotsinlessman.TodosoHehadtocondemn“sinintheflesh”(Romans8:3).Oursinsthatproceedfromthe fleshhad tobecondemnedbyHim,andtheonlywaythiscouldbedonewastoconquerthatsinfulfleshandsubmitittothedeathofthecross.

Jesuscametotakeawaythesinoftheworld, as John declared. How could Hetakeawaysinthatwasnoteventhere inthe flesh He assumed? To be more pre-cise, how could he condemn “sin in theflesh”inasinlessflesh?

Paulsaid,“IamcrucifiedwithChrist”(Galatians 2:20). Why does he further


state that we “were baptized into hisdeath”(Romans6:3)?Everysinnermustpass,byfaith,throughthecrucifixionandresurrection experience with Christ. Inordertopassfromdeathtolife,everyoneofusmustidentifywiththeOnewhorep-resentedusasthesecondAdam.OursinswereinHim.WhenHedied,wedied;andthepenaltyagainstoursinswassatisfiedandexhausted.

Can’tyouseethatHehadtocarryourownfallennaturetothatcrossinordertomake itpossible forour sinfulnature tobeputtodeath?AnythinglesswouldhavefailedtosatisfythejusticeofGod.Christhad to surrender condemned human-ity to the full wages of sin on that crossinordertomakeatonementpossibleforus.Otherwise,wecouldnotidentifywithHimorbecrucifiedwithHim.Obviously,redemption requires that Jesus live anddiewiththenatureoffallenmaninordertoprovidethevitallinkofjustification.

Now let us look at the requirementsofsanctification.


EIGHT Participating in Christ’s Victory

Sanctification is not a mere creditingor accounting. It is the imparting of

something tous. JustasHe imputes jus-tification to deliver us from the guilt ofsin,Henowimparts sanctificationtode-liverusfromthepowerofsin.WhatisthesanctificationHeimparts?ItisouractualparticipationinthevictoryofChristoversin.Byfaithweenterintoandappropri-ate the strength of the victory He expe-rienced in the flesh. In other words, Heis able and willing to live out in us thesame overcoming life that He lived asa man on this earth. He will reproducein us His own sinless experience. Thisissanctification.

If Jesus came into the world withAdam’sunfallennatureinordertomani-festasinlesslife,howcouldthatunfallennaturebereproducedinme?Participatingin Adam’s unfallen experience does notsanctify fallen men. They are sanctified


by overcoming sin in their fallen naturethrough the same power Jesus used inovercomingsin.Thereisnowayforustoparticipate in the unfallen experience ofAdam.IfthatisthemeansbywhichJesusovercameSatan,thereisnowayforHimtoimpartittome.ButifJesusgainedthevictoryoverSataninthefallennatureofAdam’s descendants, then I can partici-pateinitwithHim.Thatkindofvictorycanbesuperimposeduponmyown life,becauseitwasgainedinthesamenatureIpossess.

A sinless experience lived in somealien,unfallennaturecouldnotbecred-itedtome,norcoulditeverbepossessedbyme.Fallennaturecannever,inthislife,berestored to thestateofunfallenman.But we may receive the victory over sinthatJesusgainedinthefleshasoneofus.

NINE Two Extremes

In this connection it is interesting tostudytheshort-livedhistoryofagroup


ofChristians in Indianawhoclaimed tohaveholy flesh.Around theyear1900aratherlargebodyofconservativechurchmembersbecameobsessedwiththeideathatJesuslivedHissinlesslifeinthena-tureofunfallenAdam.

Assuming,correctly,thatHisvictori-ousexperienceinthefleshcouldbeim-parted to every Christian through faith,theybegantoteachthatfallenmancouldliveouttheverysameuntaintedlifeofsin-lessAdam.Thisfanaticalviewledthemtobelievethattheycouldreproducetheab-soluteholinessandperfectionofunfallenAdam. This is just one well-document-ed example of the ramifications of thisfalseteaching.

The other extremity to which menare ledbyacceptingtheerrorofChrist’spre-fall nature is exactly the opposite ofthe “holy flesh” theory. They simply as-sert thatsinceJesusovercameinAdam’ssinless nature, we cannot possibly hopetoshareHisvictorywhile still inbodiesof sinful flesh. Christ could only impart


what He had to give, and since He hadno victory over sin in our fallen na-ture, He could not share it with us.Therefore,itisimpossibletoovercomeasChristovercame.

Thus,wecanseehowthebeautiful,ba-sictruthofsanctificationisdowngradedandremovedfromtheexperienceofrigh-teousnessbyfaith.Alreadywehaveseenhowthe“originalsin”errorhasgeneratedtwootherperversions;namely,thatJesushad the unfallen nature of Adam, andthatsanctificationcannotbeimpartedtomanbyJesus.Infact,mostproponentsoforiginalsindonotevenbelieveitispos-sibletoovercomeallsininthislife.TheydenytherepeatedassertionsofScripturethatfallenmancanactuallypartakeofthedivine nature of Christ. Somehow theycannotperceiveandaccept theheavenlymystery, so often affirmed in the Bible,that Jesus tookman’s fallennatureuponHimand,yet,wasneverguiltyofsin.Tothem the inherited guilt of Adam is sopervasive in human nature that it can


onlybeovercomewhentranslationtakesplaceatthecomingofChrist.

TEN Living Without Sin

IsithardforustobelievethatJesusinHishumanitycouldmaintainanabsolutely

pure,sinlessmindduringHis331/2yearsinthisworld?Isitpossibleforanyoneinhuman flesh, even under the power ofGod,toreachsuchapointofvictoryoversin?TheBibleanswerisclear:“Forthoughwewalkintheflesh,wedonotwaraftertheflesh:(Fortheweaponsofourwarfarearenotcarnal,butmightythroughGod;)…Castingdownimaginations,andeveryhighthingthatexaltethitselfagainsttheknowledgeofGod,andbringingintocap-tivity every thought to the obedience ofChrist”(2Corinthians10:3–5).

Thispromiseismadeconcerningsin-nersinthefleshwhoturntothedeliver-ingpowerofthegospel.HowmuchmorewouldourblessedLord,withnoacquiredpropensitiesforsin,beabletoclaimHis


Father’s enabling strength to keep fromsinning!TheWordofGodassuresusthatwe may partake of the divine nature ofJesusandhavethe“mindofChrist.”Hissinless experience in the flesh is a guar-antee that any of us may have the samevictoryifwewilldependupontheFatherasHedid.

This means that in overcoming sinHehadnoadvantageoverus.Hefoughttheenemyinthesamenatureandbythesamespiritualweaponsthatareavailabletous.IfHehadanyadvantageoverothermen itwassimply thatHis inherenthu-mannaturewasneverfurtherdebilitatedbypersonalindulgenceinsin.

Can we equal the perfect pattern ofJesus’ sinless life?No.Allofushavede-graded human nature further by giv-ing way to the flesh. Not only have webroughtthecurseofdeathuponourselvesby breaking God’s law, but we have alsomadeourselvesmorevulnerabletoSatanbycooperatingwithhim.Jesusneverre-sponded to a single sinful stimulus, and


SatancouldfindnothinginHim.HelivedallHislifewiththesurrenderedmindandwillofthefullysanctified.Hecommittednosinstobeatonedfor.

Buteventhoughwecannotequalthepattern, we should seek earnestly to re-flectthatholylifeofJesusasfullyaspos-sible. By the grace of God, we may putawayeveryknownsinandbeperfect inourspherewithnoconsciousnessofcher-ishedwrongdoing.

Does that mean we will be boastingaboutlivingwithoutsin?Onthecontrary,the closer we come to Christ, the morewe will sense our unworthiness. ThosewhoattainthestandardofChristwillbethe last ever to recognize it, much lessboastofit.IsitimportantthatGodhavean obedient people at the end of timethat He can point to as a vindication ofHischaracter?TheBiblerevealsthatthewholecosmicconflictbetweenGodandevilcanbetracedtoSatan’soriginaldesiretotakeGod’splaceandruletheuniverse.Itwashisprogramoffalseaccusationthat


stirreduprebellioninheavenandalien-ateda thirdof theangels.Satanmisrep-resentedGod’scharacterandchargedtheCreator with making unreasonable andimpossibledemands.

Howcouldthedevilbeprovenwrong?Godhadtoprovideademonstrationthatwould forever silence the adversary. Itwas a long, painful demonstration thatledthemightyCreatorGodtostepdowninto a human body of fallen man and,within the limitsof thatnature, toover-comeeverythingSatancouldhurlagainstHim. Had He utilized any divine powertoovercomesinthatwasnotavailabletoothersintheflesh,SatanwouldhaveusedittobolsterhisclaimsthatnoonecouldkeepGod’slaw.

At the cross, Jesus demonstrated totheentireuniversethatSatanwaswrong.Hehadproventhatitwaspossible,intheflesh,tobeobedientthroughdependenceon theFather.The final stepofvindica-tion will take place when the characterof Christ has been reproduced in that


persecutedlittleremnantthatremainfaith-fulthroughthefirestormofArmageddonand beyond. Long after Satan’s knee hasbowedtoacknowledgetherighteousnessofGod,andeonsafterheandhisfollow-ershave tasted theeternalconsequencesoftheirsin,the144,000willstillbebear-ingwitnesstothehonorandintegrityofGod’sgovernment.Astheirnewsongofvictory and deliverance is heard by lis-tening angels, unfallen worlds, and theunnumbered multitude of the saints, allwilluniteinanoratorioofpraise,saying,“Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, andthanksgiving, and honour, and power,andmight,beuntoourGodforeverandever.Amen”(Revelation7:12).

Itiseasytounderstandwhythatlittlegroup who sing the song of Moses andthe Lamb will be so signally honored asthey stand nearest to God’s throne. It isthroughtheirexperiencethatGod’schar-acterwillbevindicatedatlast.

Insummary,wecanseehowthean-cienterrorofAdam’simputedguilthasled


toachainofrelateddeceptions.Themostsignificant truths of salvation have beencleverly counterfeited. The humanity ofJesushasbeendenied,theimpartedrigh-teousnessofChristhasbeenchallenged,andthepossibilityofvictoryoversinhasbeenridiculed.Itisonlyaswerecognizethebasicfalsehoodthatwecanavoidtheperversions that follow. May God giveus thewisdomto stand firmlyupon theWordaloneand torejecteverydoctrinethatisnotrootedinHim.

Library of Sermons

1. Armageddon 2. Can a Saved Man Choose to Be Lost? 3. Does God’s Grace Blot Out the Law? 4. Hidden Eyes and Closed Ears 5. How Evolution Flunked the Science Test 6. Is It Easier to Be Saved or to Be Lost? 7. Man’s Flicker or God’s Flame 8. Satan in Chains 9. Satan’s Confusing Counterfeits 10. Spirits From Other Worlds 11. Thieves in the Church 12. Why God Said Remember 13. Why the Old Covenant Failed 14. The High Cost of the Cross 15. Hell-Fire 16. Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning? 17. Blood Behind the Veil 18. Spirits of the Dead 19. The Brook Dried Up 20. Death in the Kitchen 21. The Search for the True Church 22. Is It a Sin to Be Tempted? 23. Is Sunday Really Sacred? 24. Heaven ... Is It for Real? 25. Rendezvous in Space 26. Christ’s Human Nature 27. Point of No Return 28. The Rich Man and Lazarus

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